Mannitol and lactitol tested for DNA damage in human cells
What it found
Mannitol and lactitol did not damage DNA in lab tests on human blood cells.
Both sweeteners slowed how fast the cells divided at higher amounts.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
No DNA damage found
Neither mannitol nor lactitol caused changes to chromosomes or created extra tiny nuclei in human blood cells. This was true across all the amounts tested in the lab.
Cell division slowed down
Mannitol reduced how often human blood cells divided at most amounts tested, except 500 and 1000 μg/mL. Lactitol also slowed cell division at every amount except 250 μg/mL.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that mannitol and lactitol did not cause significant DNA damage in human blood cells in the lab.
- Their results suggest these sweeteners were not genotoxic at the amounts they tested.
How it was done
People around the world are eating more food additives, including sweeteners. Scientists have been studying whether these ingredients might affect health.
Researchers tested mannitol and lactitol on human white blood cells in the lab. They used five different amounts of each sweetener. They looked for signs of DNA damage and checked how the cells divided.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- These tests were done on isolated human cells in a lab dish. That cannot show what happens when people eat these sweeteners in food.
- Lab tests on cells cannot measure effects on whole organs or long-term health.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Amasya University, Turkey
The paper
- Title
- Determination of the genotoxic effects of sweeteners, mannitol and lactitol
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Eker-Kartal E, Avuloglu-Yilmaz E (2023). Determination of the genotoxic effects of sweeteners, mannitol and lactitol. Journal of environmental science and health. Part C, Toxicology and carcinogenesis. doi:10.1080/26896583.2023.2275984PubMed 38060281DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error